Below is an annotated list of children's literature for the elementary classroom. The books are organized by the Six Elements of Social Justice Curriculum Design (Picower, 2007). It is based on work by pre-service teachers at Montclair State University. They have read and reviewed these books and provided insights into how they can be used in K-5 settings.

Monday, September 22, 2014

The Name Jar

The Name Jar is
about a Korean girl name Unhei, who has recently moved to the United States with
her family.On the school bus, for her
first day of school, she introduces herself, by name, only to be met by
laughter and jeers as the kids struggle with its’ pronunciation.To avoid further embarrassment, Unhei
announces to the class, during her introduction, that she currently has no name,
and has internally decided to choose something new, and more American. A name jar is created, where everyone from class puts suggested names on blank papers, to assist her decision. She struggles with her choice, all the
while remembering her grandmother’s words about pride and comfort with regards
to her Korean heritage.While
acclimating, she is befriended by a boy named Joey who shows interest in
learning more about her.She begins to
get more comfortable with her new surroundings, including several trips to a
local Korean grocery store, and eventually announces in class that she has
settled on her own, birth name, Unhei, after all.The class works together to learn its’
pronunciation, and Unhei feels like a true member of her classroom
community.Her friend, Joey, even takes
a Korean nickname, Chinku, which means friend.

Element One, Self-Love and Knowledge:

The Name Jar fits
perfectly under the umbrella of element one because the main character of the
story gains a sense of pride in her family’s culture and heritage as she
struggles to adapt to life in a new country.Students will recognize this transformation in Unhei, and see how she acknowledges
where she came from, and also recognize the class’ willingness to both, accept
her, and learn about her culture and heritage.As a result, hopefully students will use this reading as a
stepping-stone toward sharing their families’ cultures and heritages with their
peers.

Possible In-Class Activity:

Upon completion of The
Name Jar, students could be asked to go home and interview their parents,
asking pointed questions about culture and heritage within their families.(Perhaps even asking if their birth names
have any ancestral significance might be a nice touch?)Students, practicing writing and recording
techniques, could then put together a small report that they would then share
with the class.Everyone involved can
then learn about a variety of cultures, gain respect and deeper understanding
of the kids around them, and just as importantly, gain valuable experience
speaking in front of the group.